In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/542,922 filed Aug. 18, 2009 (7865-402), assigned to the assignee hereof and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, there is described the production of a canola protein isolate which has solubility over a wide range of acid pH values and clarity in aqueous medium, making it possible, for example, to prepare protein fortified beverages, particularly at acid pH values, in which the clarity is not impaired by the addition of the canola protein isolate.
The procedure used in the prior U.S. application Ser. No. 12/542,922, involves adding calcium chloride to supernatant from the precipitation of a canola protein micellar mass to provide a conductivity of about 5 mS to about 30 mS, preferably about 8 to about 10 mS, removing the precipitated phytate material from the resulting solution to leave a clear solution, optionally adjusting the pH of the clear solution to about 2.0 to about 4.0, preferably about 2.9 to about 3.2, such as by the addition of hydrochloric acid, concentrating the optionally pH-adjusted clear solution to a protein content of about 50 to about 500 g/L, preferably about 100 to about 250 g/L, to produce a clear concentrated canola protein solution, optionally diafiltering the clear concentrated canola protein solution, such as with volumes of pH 3 water, optionally effecting a colour removal step, such as a granular activated carbon treatment, and drying the concentrated solution.
This prior application describes the product as a canola protein isolate, i.e. a canola protein product which contains at least 90 wt % (N×6.25) on a dry weight basis.
Canola is also known as rapeseed or oil seed rape.